Marketing in the yoga space makes me actively cringe sometimes.

When I venture outside my very tightly curated algorithm, I find a whole world of matching athleisurewear sets, “quick tips for the best down-dog”, handstand tutorials, and a whole lot of things that don’t make me think of the rich and nurturing practice of yoga that I have come to love.

But is that what we need in order to market ourselves in this current yoga space?

Tristan Katz slides into the chat with the best marketing advice ever. I can’t wait for you to hear it.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

*Marketing and experiences need to match.  If you are marketing your business or studio, make sure there is congruence between the two.  Nobody wants to come into a yoga class or space thinking it is one thing and getting another.  And if you feel like you need to do things in order to market your business that aren’t exactly “you”, well you don’t.  I promise.

*Everything we do that communicates with our customers is marketing.  The signs, the social media, the value statements–that is marketing.  When you talk about how hard it is to run a business, or get students, that is also marketing.  I am big fan of the idea that marketing is like trying to get laid.  Make sure there is enthusiastic consent in all things and marketing and business get a lot more fun.

*Check boxes to be a good person from anyone is marketing.  Consider using stories and relating to people instead of the “5 ways to improve ” type strategy that the 2010s made so popular online.  

*Please consider marketing like building Relationships vs. trying to make transactions.  There are a lot of things you could quote from marketing terminology, for example the “know, like, & trust factor”, but essentially it is just nicer to build relationships than it is to see people as transactions.

*Finding your voice as a teacher is a lot like finding your voice as a marketer.  Start with asking yourself the question, “is there something I am always talking about?” regarding yoga and see where that thread leads you.  It is an excellent place to start.

*We’re not selling widgets, this is yoga and we should be approaching marketing yoga with as much grace, joy, and humanity as we approach everything else.  

RESOURCES

Working In Yoga Website

Working In Yoga Newsletter

Tristan’s Website

SPONSOR

Sunlight Streams Blog

Sunlight Apothecary